Information is transmitted over computer networks. The information is represented as bits divided into packets. The packets are passed from network device to network device, e.g., switches and routers, propagating the information through the computer networks. Each packet is transmitted from its source to a destination specified by header information in the packets. The source and destination may respectively be in different networks, each controlled by different parties, and the packets may pass through any number of additional networks in between the source and destination.
Throughput is the amount of information, e.g., number of bits, that is transmitted over a link in a fixed period of time. Bandwidth is a maximum potential throughput, where the limitation is either physical or artificial (e.g., policy driven). Goodput is the throughput of information content, exclusive of other traffic such as network configuration data, protocol control information, or repeated transmission of lost packets.